A Letter In Time
by Elasywe
Summary: Everyone is shocked by Fred's death...but one. Ron visits a certain shop to find a letter, only to lead him to a heartbreak. He hasn't cried in 2 years and he thought he was done for good. But will the tears resurface?


I stretched out to him.

But I would never reach him.

He was crying now.

Don't cry Ron…don't cry…

**Ron's POV**

2 Years after the War

Today, I went to Fred and George's shop. That was my first mistake.

You see, George…he hasn't been the same since, the incident. No one has really been the same…but me.

I feel bad for not changing like everyone else had. But, Fred would've been mad at me if I'd been sad. He would've slipped a Fainting Fancy in my food. Haha…then when I fainted he would laugh then give me an antidote. That's what he would've done.

I slipped through the front door, 'Sorry we're closed' sign waving against the glass panel and the little bell dinging like nothing had happened. Like nothing was wrong. I walked up the stairs, thinking of how Fred always skipped the last step. So I did. I crept down the hall in the flat above the store that they live in. It felt like it was haunted, like something ominous was waiting for me…like something wanted me there.

George hasn't been to the shop since Fred died…not even a glance. He's staying at St. Mungo's in the Mental Health ward. He keeps saying that Fred's not dead, he's still here. In the shop. Waiting for him to come home.

I never believed him.

Up until now.

I walked into Fred and George's room, still a mess. They never really bothered to clean their room. Never have.

Quickly scanning the room, I found the closet. Mum wanted me to find any clothes that were still in good condition. I don't know why, Fred and George were shorter than me and Ginny sure wasn't going to wear their dragon skin clothes. Rummaging through, I stuck my fist right into an old pile of clothes that I think were clean…although they did smell a little ripe. My hand fell upon something papery…not made of cloth at all. I grasped it and pulled it out. In Fred's messy scrawl, he was never neat it seemed, written on a small yellowish envelope was my name.

_Ron_

Shakily, I opened it, removing the seal at the back. I slipped the paper out and unfolded it.

_Dear Ron,_

_ Well, little bro, you're finally growing up. Now, this is kinda hard to say, and I don't want to wake up George, but…_

_I'm sorry._

_I realized last night that I should have said it a long time ago. But most importantly, I want to say sorry for one special thing._

_I'm sorry for turning your teddy bear into a spider._

_Stupid I guess, but I know he meant a lot to you, and I know I shouldn't have done it. To be honest, I think it's the only thing I've ever regretted. I know it sounds childish and totally un-Weasley like but it's true. I've always wanted to make it up to you so…remember in my room at the house, the small box that I would never let you touch that's on top of the dresser? Can you open that box? It's a surprise so…don't tell anyone! If you do, it's the last present you're getting from me!_

_Your brother,_

_Fred_

I read the note four times over, tearing up at the end of each time. He never knew it WAS the last gift he would give me. I gingerly placed the note back in the envelope and slipped it into the inside pocket of my robes. I walked through the musty halls and opened the door. I disapparated to the edge of the burrow, what used to be my home, _Fred's_ home…

I opened the door soundlessly, and to my surprise, mom was in the kitchen making tea. She looked at me, and looked away. She had changed so much too. She used to hug me, wipe the dirt of my nose, now she barely acknowledged my existence. I walked up the stairs being careful to miss the fifth step, (It always caved in) and the last. Stepping up to the door was the challenge. Each time I put a foot in front of the other, it seemed like I was walking into nothingness, into a bottomless pool of black, of death. I summed up all my courage and reached for the knob, turning it ever so slightly. It never really took a lot of effort with Fred's door; he had made it that way on purpose. So when mom was chasing him and George through the house, he could easily make an escape. It didn't make a lot of sense at first, but I guess it did save him from one-too-many body-binding curses.

I almost tiptoed through the room, casting a sweeping glance before walking to the dresser. I reached on top for the box. Lifting it off, I was surprised by how light it was. I placed it down on Fred's old bed and gently lifted the lid. I was shocked by what I saw.

There in the box, was Bear. My old teddy bear that he had transfigured into a spider. I lifted it out of the brown package and looked it over. There's the stain of when I puked on him. There's the rip from when I dropped it down the banister and it got caught on its way down. And wait, I don't remember this…a tiny red heart sewn onto the chest. I stared at it for a long time, only tearing my eyes away from it long enough to notice another note at the bottom of the box.

_Ron,_

_Like the heart? I sewed it myself, even without Hermione's help! I thought you would like it better than it was before. I kept all the old stuff too; recreating it was a bit painful. It took me a long time. I would do something, stop for months until George told me to man up and start again. Haha, just like George does._

Not anymore.

_Now Ron, you know the Unbreakable Vow you made when you were about 4? The one you thought dad caught us in the __middle__ of?_

I couldn't really remember it that well; it was around 20 years ago…

_Well, we finished it._

Wait, what?

_We finished the vow. And I bet you don't even remember what it was._

Fred knew I didn't remember. Fred always knew. Fred was like that.

_I'm telling you now. We made you swear that you would forever love your brothers. And you haven't died yet right?_

_Now, I'm leaving it at that little brother, I'm sure you know why. Because you're like that._

Tear stains distorted the writing. He cried…he cried for me…

_I'll see you soon my Ickle Ronniekins,_

_Fred_

Idiot, I won't see you soon…

And for the first time in 2 years, I cried.

* * *

A/N: Read and review please.

BTW: Hermione knows about the bear because Ron told her. Well, George told her during the wedding, much to Ron's dislike. That was the only event that George was allowed to go to.

And, Fred left that letter in case he didn't come back. (Which he forgot in his closet in which Ron found it.) He would've shredded it if he did come back, but he didn't. It was only a precaution. The other one in the box he wrote a while ago, but never told Ron about it. He told him not to open the box remember? So yeah, if George wasn't in St. Mungo's, he would have given Ron the letter.


End file.
